Living His Lie
by Inikus
Summary: Hiei looks into the emerald eyes of his best friend, and wonders at the truth. Is he reading the fox more accurately than those who have tried before him, or is he just being his usual morbid self? ONESHOT


**Living His Lie**

Youko Kurama had been the epitomy of evil. A thief by name and nature, the fox had used lies and backstabbing to achieve his ambitious goals. He owned the Makai, all its creatures falling before him in love and war like the lowly tricksters they were. The fox had always known that he was so, so much more. On the outside, he could charm the sun to shine. Inside, his clever mind was laughing at the three worlds...so below him. He believed it was so, and it was so. He wanted for a trinket, and it was his. The game was his, and so were the rules.

Hiei watched the fox with close eyes. He hadn't expected any inconsistancies on the outside; it was more than he was capable of to untangle that solid wall of protection that Kurama had set up around himself. The seemingly serruptitious flicking of his bright red hair and turn of his beautiful lips was a concious means of distraction, only discernable from natural human actions if you were looking hard to find it, as Hiei was. The clothes he wore; form-flattering, fine and fragile were picked conciously every morning to aide him in his game, and they worked. The fox was winning.

Hiei narrowed his eyes at Kurama's form through the window. The human youko was slouched elegantly in his wheely chair, leaning on his desk with one elbow, his ruby hair catching the rays of sunlight. _Even when he doesn't know I'm watching_, Hiei mused. _Or does he? _Hiei's suspicions that the fox was indeed intelligent of his presence were confirmed when the fox made an extravegant show of stretching slowly, displaying each long limb encased in a soft silk shirt and light slacks. It didn't go without impact, making Hiei gulp heavily as he took it in, cursing the fox for his deviousness.

_Is it all such a game? Can you love to trick so much that your very life is centered around a lie? When no-one is there to laugh at the world with you, is it enough to find it amusing yourself? To live a lie... are you testing yourself, as you have surpassed all others' goals that only your own are high enough?_

The redhead wasn't percieved a mystery, and that was how he loved it. As much as he had liked to play the game, to fool all others into thinking that he was less than he was, his irrepressable ego had held him to the same level that everyone else occupied. To wish to be respected and feared for your ablities and achievements is what your ego demands, and that was the restriction the Youko used to be held down by. But true abilities are gained by foregoing all connection with ego, and hiding what is inside from people who would be your enemies. That was what Kurama had gained when he had come into the shell of Shuichi Minamino. Total anoninimity and the chance to start again, to begin the game again with the gift of retrospective to give him the advantage. He no longer needed the appreciation of others, but the appreciation of himself.

Just how much are you capable of? The little fire demon thought quietly as he sat on the boughs of the half human's tree. _Even if nobody else does, you'll know. Is that really enough for you? Youko Kurama, his alter ego... you could do anything_. He shivered with the breeze._ I believe less and less in friends among demons_.

Kurama turned to see a bough of his cherry tree shaking in the breeze more violently than its sisters. He frowned. _Shame, I wish he'd come in. Kaasan's baked his favourite biscutes... Even he can't dispute their advantage when compared to rabbits slaughtered in the woods, eaten raw_. He shook his head, allowing pleasing little strands of blood red hair to fall in front of his vision. _If only he knew, I only love to help..._

His smile, so sweet in forming, turned strangely intense. _Oh, I love it when I can even fool myself for a second..._

* * *

Well, for a one-shot, that took me a stupidly long amount of time to write.

Yes, Hiei thinks quietly. It might be quite important to demons, you never know. Their methods of communication are different from ours, after all.


End file.
